I’m pretty sure that no one in my family would mind if I stopped drinking coffee. It’s not the inability to function before my first sip; it’s the time I spend studying labels whenever we’re out of beans.

Fair trade, shade-grown, organic, single-origin – I’m a professional “greenie,” and I’m confused! Plus, I do actually want to enjoy what I drink, which means it has to be a dark roast that isn’t too acidic.

What’s a java junkie to do? Here’s a rundown on some common labels:

Fair trade: Coffee plantations have been compared to field-based sweatshops, where workers spend long hours collecting beans for prices that don’t even offset production costs. Fair trade-certified coffee guarantees equitable wage and economic standards. Most FT coffee comes from small growers who practice more sustainable farming techniques, and it’s often organic to boot.

Shade-grown: Conventional coffee plantations replace diverse tropical forests with monoculture production. The forest-like setting of shade grown coffee benefits tropical migratory birds, such as the ones you’d find in our Amazon Rising habitats as well as Chicago’s familiar summer residents. The Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly certification is a great way to go.

Organic: Conventional coffee is chemically intensive to grow. Who wants pesticides and fertilizers in their morning cup of joe? Yuck! Look for the USDA or OCIA organic label, but try to choose coffee that’s both fair trade and organic to support farmers and the environment.

At Shedd, we serve coffee from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which is committed to procuring environmentally and socially responsible products. At home, I’d recommend stopping into a local roaster or visiting your nearest Whole Foods Market, where you can label read to your heart’s content. Just leave the family at home.

Posted by Meg Matthews, conservation